Sat 17th FebruaryLoughbricklandThe going was soft for this Northern meeting.

Feature of the meeting was the treble recorded by Sol McHugh. He recorded 2 wins
in the O Neill colours that were carried successfully in 2000 on this circuit by Truckers
Tavern. The 2 O Neill owned winners were Bay Island & Red Island.

Bay Island

(Treasure Hunter) won a competitive 5 year old
maiden just prevailing from Ian Buchanan's Just Mucking Around (Hollow
Hand), with Catch A Grip (Celio Rufo) a close third.These three look up to track standard,
another to take the eye here was the Wilson Dennison owned Ballycotton, a well bred son of Executive Perk, who was pulled up in the end.

Red Island (Aristocracy) won a 6 year old maiden that
was poor event in terms of quality.

Go Go Gallant a decent handicapper in his day justified favouritism in the
Open, while the concluding event produced the first dead heat of
2001.

KnockanardA right handed track smaller but similar to Towcester with a long
downhill run in the backstraight but a very stiff continual climb over the last 3
furlongs to the finish with one fence jumped on the climb to the line.A little under 3
circuits of the track,14 fences.

The going was soft but it was a beautiful dry day.

Six contests were scheduled but two divides led to eight races. Due to
the increasing number of meetings I cannot be as elaborate as before so I will concentrate
on the quality races.

The opening 5 year old maiden was the class race of the day.

Keen Leader who ran an excellent second on his debut in the top class maiden at Dromahane
(1/1/2001) came in for strong professional support (7/4 to 1/1). The local Cashman
runner Silken Thyne who caught the eye at Killeagh on its debut was next up at 4/1.
Noble Buck a prominent last fence faller on its debut at Dungarvan was a 5/1 shot, with
Black Church Lad a runner on his debut at Kilfeacle behind Druids Glen trading
at 8/1.

Front runner Back On Schedule cut out a strong pace until he weakened approaching
4 out. At this point Noble Buck, Silken Thyne and Keen Leader bunched for the lead. The 3
were in line at the second last, but Keen Leader powered to the front on the bend for
home. He sealed victory by safely popping the last, and strode home clear of Silken Thyne.
Black Church Lad stayed on into a respectful third with the fast finishing debutant
Lord Jack pipping Noble Buck for 4th.

This was a good contest, the winner a son of Supreme Leader has the look of a
quality 3 mile chaser, and with look in the next couple of years should be good
enough to compete in races like the Reynoldstown Chase or the Sun Alliance Chase.He
could even be a national horse in time. His victory here certainly stung the bookies.

The runner up

Silken
Thyne (Good Thyne 1/2 brother to Committed
Schedule) improved on his first outing and should have little difficulty collecting next
time.

Black Church Lad

(Ashmolean) is a grey that can win a
moderate point this season, but could be open to improvement if this experience has the
right effect.

Lord Jack

a Eugene O Sullivan trained son of Mister Lord
looks a quality individual. Considering that the yard have been having a poor time of
late, this horse could be one for the future. At times it is easy to get carried away with
fast finishing losers, but Lord Jack will certainly come under the microscope next
time.

Noble Buck

, John Queally's son of Buckskin, shaped
well but found the punishing climb at the finish against him. He can atone on an easier
track

3 others who finished out of the money caught the eye.

Dantes Banker

a Liam Cashman trained debutant and
stable second string is an exceptionally well bred son of Phardante, the dam being the
former top class racemare Nancy Myles. He jumped poorly and was soon out of the reckoning,
the stable were disappointed but pointed out that this horse will come into his own
on decent ground.

The Paul Roche trained newcomer

Lords Best (Mister
Lord) was prominent for a long way and is a horse that you will hear more about.

Finally a really nice grey son of Roselier called

Cray Valley Jet made a promising intro here under tender handling from Eoin Gallagher. This
home bred out of a multiple winning dam could also be a horse to reckon with fro
the future.

I would be disappointed if less than 5 future winners comes out of this race.

The second race was the Cork circuit's first mares only winners race of the
season. The 5 year old grey Star Accord an impressive Killeagh winner was
installed the 2/1 fav. Dual Leinster scorer Forgeside Express ( 6 Insan) was easy (2/1 -
3/1), also weak was Prometteuse (5/2-5/1)

Eoin Gallagher stole an early advantage leaving the start on Aghabullogue
winner Pretty Young Thing. Star Accord, Prometteuse and Ear To The Ground gave
chase, but Forgeside Express was in trouble early.

Running to the 3rd last Star Accord closed on Pretty Young Thing but could never
get on terms with that 7 year old daughter of Yashgan, who courageously succeeded in
making all. Ear To The Ground lost the battle for third to Prometteuse.

On better ground I would expect

Star Accord to reverse form with
the winner.

The open went the way of the top class pointing mare

Instant Queen (9 Executive Perk) who eventually shook off the attentions of Legal
Storm in the last 1/2 mile. This 4/6 shot is now earmarked for her first racecourse outing
at Tramore in a Hunters Chase.

The 6 year old + maiden was divided with the laurels going to 2 outsiders--Vicars
Chalet (7 Actinium) & Grizzly Activeware (7 Camden Town)--- a couple who caught
the eye in Division 1 were--Droumleigh Lad (6 Jurado), a faller when leading 3 out, and
the Pauline Gavin trained

Ex
Itinere (6 Little Bighorn, full brother to Gaora
Cross), pulled up after being hampered by the latter.

The Adjacent Hunt Maiden produced an exciting finish with the hotpot from the
Cashman yard Euro Alert (5 Eurobus) (4/7) just outbattling a couple of older rivals
One Dawn(6 Spanish Place) and Total Empire. Fourth home Alpha Gold (6 Alphabetim) would
have been closer but for a mistake at the last.

Euro Alert

is a little on the small side but is a game
sort, who one can imagine running well in 3 mile UK handicaps off a light weight in
bottomless conditions.

The going was heavy for this meeting which is run on the inside of
the racetrack at Clonmel. Two and a half circuits 13 fences,2 in the homestraight.

Davy Russell was once again the star of the show, recording a four timer for the
second week running.

His first win came aboard newcomer

Nifty (5 Be My
Native) which made all running in the Seamus Kennedy colours.

Beef Or Salmon

(5 Cajetano) a last fence faller at
Dungarvan collected an incident packed 5 year old maiden. The Russell ridden winner was
one of four clear approaching 3 out, but the other three, Halla Halla, Doddle Addle, and
Bacardi Boy all fell to leave Beef Or Salmon breeze home. The winner is no world
beater, the same remark applies to stablemate Much Birch (7 Import) who made it a double
for Michael Hourigan in the last.

Hurton

just touched off at Dungarvan had a ready
success for the Mouse Morris yard in the opener, and now goes Hunter Chasing.

The Open was a match on paper between

Father Andy(1/1-D
Russell) and the Paddy Hughes trained Mister Counterpoint (5/4- a
promising maiden hurdler, making it's point debut). Heading to the second last this
pair joined the long time leader Glenahary
Rose, and in a dour slog to the line, it was
Glenahary Rose(16/1)(Roselier) who got home first much to the delight of the
bookies.

They race on the inside of the track. Two circuits, 14 fences.A
very good galloping track. Going soft.

Performance of the day came in the opening Confined Hunt Open race where the Tony
Martin trained/ridden

Its
Himself easily shouldered 13 stone to success on
his seasonal reappearance. The Cheltenham Foxhunters is still on the cards, but he is
expected to run this weekend in the hunters chase at Fairyhouse, after which the situation
will be reviewed. In my opinion this horse is on a par with Sheltering, and the Cheltenham
race will suit him more as a hold up horse than Sheltering who likes to dominate.

Apremont

got the better of the Jim Dreaper trained Delheim
in an exciting division of the Winners of One, J D Moore won the second division on
his father Arthur's Prince
On The Ter (6 Terimon) which routed the
opposition, and certainly should hold his own on the track. J D later completed a double
on the Liam Cusack trained Kerrys Cross (6 Phardante).

In the 6 year old maidens,

Pacamisto (6 Torus) got the
better of a tight finish with Clawick Connection (6 Torus), and Gordon Elliott partnered
Johnny's Gone (6 Balinger) to win over Lasair Dochais (6 Commanche Run)
and the promising Lay On McDuff(6 Supreme Leader) in pulsating finish to the second
division.

The novice riders open also kept the judge busy as young Peter Duffy scored on
board his family's Herb Superb to claim the scalps of Early Buck and the
disappointing favourite Tenshookmen (4/5).